The present invention relates to a method for setting up a painting system at a specified setup location.
Painting systems for components, such as those used in large numbers and in high-quality applications in automobile manufacturing, for example, are complex production facilities with high capital costs. Such painting systems are generally constructed to be set up in a building, and frequently are adapted to the space constraints of the building. As a result, provision of individual processing zones within the system is complicated and resource-intensive, because their design is modified to the local circumstances of the building.
Such painting systems are planned and constructed according to given specifications, including the sequence and number of process steps, painting steps, pre- and postprocessing steps, the logistical system for the components to be painted, and the supply of power and media to the system. If such a known painting system is to be expanded or otherwise modified because, for example, the specifications for the components to be painted have changed, this entails high costs, severe impediments, and other undesireable compromises. Viewed overall, such retrofitted painting systems of this type therefore are often disadvantageous, because changes to the system do not always correspond to what is required by a changed process specification. It is often necessary to make compromises, which complicate the painting and pre- and postprocessing operations, such compromises seldom being fully satisfactory. The degrees of freedom of a painting process are sometimes restricted in certain respects rather than being expanded so as to yield an improved process.
Modifications of existing painting systems, such as those often used, for example, by automobile manufacturers and in particular automotive part suppliers, are complicated, expensive, and cumbersome, and can be carried out only in specific time windows due to the interference with the continuous painting operation, and therefore should be avoided whenever possible.
A further disadvantage of the above-described painting systems is that they are designed to be modified at the setup location. Moving such a painting system to another location is therefore very complicated and sometimes impossible, because disassembly of the individual modules, transfer to a new location, and assembly to produce an operable painting system involve great difficulties.
Although painting systems for large molded parts are currently designed and constructed in modules, the primary focus is reduction in the complexity of design, in each case with regard to the individual modules of a painting system (washing machine, evaporation zone, dryers, booths, ventilation systems, etc.). The individual parts/modules are transported to the destination and assembled at that location. As a rule, this also includes the complete piping system for water, wastewater, and energy supplies such as electrical power, gas, compressed air, etc. This requires the costly use of specialty contractors at the construction site, who perform test runs and make improvements as needed after installation is completed. In this regard, the installation operations sometimes take place in parallel, to the extent possible, and sometimes they must be performed in succession.
For many different types of trades, specialty contractors must be used for long periods at the construction site. Only after installation by such tradesmen can test runs be started in order to test the function of the individual process groups, which is generally followed by improvement and optimization activities. In addition to staffing capacity, the specialty contractors must also provide a large amount of lifting and transport equipment, special tools, and machines at the construction site. For this reason, the entire installation and start-up usually takes several months. For the operator, there is the additional risk that undetected defects may adversely affect the production quality, or that deadlines are not met.